This invention relates to an apparatus and method of moving a hospitalized patient, particularly one lying immobile, from a bed or table onto a stretcher, or vice versa. A patient transfer board is used to span between the two patient supporting surfaces, across which the patient is moved.
During hospitalization and other invalid patient care it is often necessary to move a patient who is lying flat from one place to another without any help from the patient and without disrupting the patient's horizontal position. This must be done without injury to the patient and with as much ease and comfort as possible. Oftentimes the patient may be in great pain, and accordingly, should not be moved over rough surfaces or with any jerky or sudden movements.
Previously it has been the practice to move such patients by several strong people simply lifting the invalid from one place to another. Of course, hand carried stretchers and wheeled stretchers are employed to assist in this movement, but still one has the problem of getting the patient onto the stretcher, and vice versa. The problem is complicated further if the bed and stretcher are at different heights. The same holds true for transferring the patient from the stretcher to an examination or operating table.
There have been developed several types of lifting apparatus such as hoists and cranes which can assist in the lifting of a patient. However, such apparatus is complicated and costly, and just as importantly, is time consuming to position and operate.
Background references disclose boards of metal or plastic being used for the transport of invalids. In one such reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,079, a plastic slab is provided having a plurality of handholes around the preiphery of the slab, whereby several people may grasp the slab to lift a patient thereon. This is in distinction to the present invention in which no direct lifting is required. Further, the manner of loading a patient onto this prior apparatus is uncomfortable, as evidenced by FIG. 5 thereof.
Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,681, discloses a lift board having many of the same features and limitations of the previous reference, but this device is for use only under the back and head and primarily involves the patient bending at the waist.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,978 discloses a bridging panel which extends between two adjacent surfaces at the same level. However, this device will not work if the surfaces are at different heights because it then looses its ability to stay in place frictionally. Another distinction is that there are no provisions for keeping a patient from sliding uncontrolled down the panel if it is on an incline. Further, the panel is made of metal, and thus it becomes sticky if a patient is wet, impeding its use.
Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,500, discloses an apparatus for moving a dead body from a mortuary table to a wheeled cot. The device employs rollers, which would be very uncomfortable for a living person. Further, it has a sharp edge and a drop where the outer legs are attached, making it unsafe and uncomfortable, except for its disclosed purpose. The sharp corner is very apparent when the device is at an angle, such as is shown in FIG. 5 thereof. The sheet employed therein is a full body sheet, which is folded completely over the body. A live patient would feel uncomfortable if handled in this manner. Further, it is apparent that several such devices are needed to adequately support the body.
Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a patient transfer board for sliding a lying patient from one patient support surface to a second patient support surface.
Another object is to provide an apparatus for sliding a patient up or down an incline when the patient supports are at different heights.
Yet another object is to provide comfortable support for the patient, even when moving him uphill or downhill, and to always avoid injury.
Another object is to provide a board made of a material which is slippery when either wet or dry, to provide patient comfort and ease of use in various circumstances.
A further object is to provide a method for transferring a patient using the present patient transfer board.
These and other objects and advantages and the manner in which they are achieved will become apparent as the specification and claims proceed, taken in conjunction with the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments.